Multivitamins

Every label lists a serving size and a suggested use, and they aren’t always the same. “Serving Size” is how much it takes to reach the strength on the label. “Suggested Use” tells you how much to take and how often for the product to work as designed. For example, a serving might be two capsules for 400 mg, while the suggested use is two in the morning and two in the evening. Serving sizes can also vary from brand to brand. With magnesium, one brand may reach 400 mg in a single capsule, while another brand requires two capsules.

When a customer tells us a product didn’t meet their expectations, nine times out of ten we find out it wasn’t being used as suggested. Something meant to be taken both morning and night was only taken once a day. Or it was taken correctly and faithfully for a week, but then forgotten in the cabinet. Consistency matters just as much as the amount, so follow the suggested use and give the product time to do its job.

P.S. Comparing bottles? Look at how long it will last, not just how many capsules are inside. A 60-count bottle taken two a day is still a one-month supply.

Deciding to get healthy is exciting, and we love seeing that energy. Slow and steady simply means being selective and introducing new products gradually, rather than trying to change everything at once. One extreme we see is someone who hasn’t been taking anything suddenly wanting to tackle every concern at once. Another is buying more than one product to address the same issue, like pairing a sleep formula with a separate bottle of melatonin, or a hormone balancing cream with an internal hormone formula. Unless you’re working closely with a Nutritionist or healthcare professional who’s guiding your plan, we recommend starting one product at a time for each concern. Introducing them this way makes it easier to determine what your body is responding to.

It all starts with a body that’s well nourished through food. From there, every product we carry is the highest quality we know to offer, from the ingredients and formulations to the brands behind them, with detailed descriptions to help you choose. The body is always working toward balance, so when one area is addressed properly, others often follow. That’s why a few well-chosen products can go a long way. Rather than overloading your system, start with what matters most, give it time, then build from there. Slow and steady really does win the race.

P.S. Give each product a fair chance. We suggest a two to three bottle trial, about 60 to 90 days, taken consistently and as suggested, before deciding whether it’s working for you. While some products tend to show results more quickly, others may take longer, especially when the body is further out of balance. Nutrition, hydration, sleep, stress and medications all play a part in how your body responds.

Every conversation in our store starts in the same place: what’s on your plate. We’ll ask how often you’re eating, how much protein you’re getting and how much sugar you’re having, natural sugars included. Our go-to formula for success is simple: eat as much clean protein as possible and eliminate sugar in all its forms. For protein, aim for at least half your body weight in grams each day. Your body was designed to get its nutrients from food first, and supplements were made to do exactly what the name says: supplement your diet, not replace it.

Think of it like driving around on an empty tank, then spending money on a high-end fuel injector so your car purrs like a kitten. The fuel injector is your supplements, but on an empty tank you won’t get very far. Without good nutrition underneath them, you’ll never get everything you paid for out of any product.

Eating well doesn’t mean everything has to be organic or premium. We do recommend organic fruits and vegetables when you can. Beyond that, buying neutral, choosing the cleanest everyday option even if it isn’t the most premium, works well on any budget. Flip the label over, even on foods you’ve eaten your whole life, and look for options without added sugars, preservatives or genetically modified ingredients. Of everything we recommend, eating right will always come first.

You can go about three weeks without food, but only about three days without water. Just like nutrition, hydration is king. Water keeps your organs, tissues and cells nourished, supports digestion, helps regulate body temperature and carries nutrients from both your food and your products where they need to go. Food and water work hand in hand, and one can’t do its job without the other.

A simple guideline is to drink half your body weight in ounces of water each day. At 160 pounds, that’s 80 ounces, or two and a half 32-ounce jugs, or five 16-ounce bottles. And no, coffee and tea don’t count. You’ll never see a marathon runner cross the finish line and reach for a cup of coffee, and for good reason. Caffeine works against your body’s hydration, so relying on it leaves you dehydrated and caffeinated, which isn’t a great combination. If soda is your go-to, challenge yourself to swap one a day for water. If staying hydrated is a struggle, try setting a reminder on your phone so that every time you have a high-protein snack, you also drink a 16-ounce bottle of water. It’s an easy way to keep nutrition and hydration on track together.

Your body requires two things to thrive: proper nourishment and regular movement. It was never designed to be sedentary. Just 30 minutes of consistent movement a day supports heart health, healthy blood pressure and blood sugar balance, and stronger bones and muscles, which matter more and more as we age. It also releases endorphins, serotonin and dopamine, natural mood lifters that help ease stress and anxiety, and it’s one of the best things you can do for a sound night’s sleep.

If you’re tied to a desk all day, make your breaks count by spending them on your feet, walking or taking the stairs. Joining a gym, class or local community center adds a great sense of accountability, and people start to notice when you miss a session. If you’re self-motivated, there are endless online workouts, with experts to guide you on proper form. Joint concerns? Yoga and Pilates are great options, and water aerobics is the best cardio workout there is with zero impact on your joints. Where there’s a will, there’s a way!

When you’ve truly done your part with proper nutrition, hydration and consistent movement, you’ve given your products the best environment to work in. From there, you can properly evaluate which ones are serving you best. More than anything, we want you to experience the tremendous sense of pride that comes from being an active participant in your daily health.